Technique for forming shallow trench isolation structure without corner exposure and resulting structure

ABSTRACT

A shallow isolation trench structure and methods of forming the same wherein the method of formation comprises a layered structure of a buffer film layer over a dielectric layer which is atop a semiconductor substrate. Tile buffer film layer comprises a material which is oxidation resistant and can be etched selectively to oxide films. The layered structure is patterned with a resist material and etched to form a shallow trench. A thin oxide layer is formed in the trench and the buffer film layer is selectively etched to move the buffer film layer back from the corners of the trench. An isolation material is then used to fill the shallow trench and the buffer film layer is stripped to form an isolation structure. When the structure is etched by subsequent processing step(s), a capped shallow trench isolation structure which covers the shallow trench corners is created.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming a shallow trench isolation structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to forming the shallow trench isolation structure using a buffer film layer etched such that a capped trench structure is formed which isolates the shallow trench corners.

[0003] 2. State of the Art

[0004] The semiconductor industry continually strives to increase semiconductor device performance and density by miniaturizing the individual semiconductor components and by miniaturizing the overall semiconductor device dimensions. For example, the semiconductor device density can be increased by more densely integrating the components on the semiconductor chip. However, increasing integration densities by placing the individual circuit elements in closer proximity increases the potential for interactions between the circuit elements. Therefore, it has become necessary to include isolation structures to prevent any significant interaction between circuit elements on the same chip.

[0005] Contemporary CMOS technologies generally employ field effect transistors that are adjacent or bounded by trenches. These trenches provide isolation (shallow trench isolation or “STI”) for the semiconductor devices. However, the close proximity of each semiconductor device to an edge or corner of the trench may create parasitic leakage paths. The parasitic leakage paths result from an enhancement of the gate electric field near the trench corners. This gate electric field is enhanced by the trench corner's small radius of curvature and the proximity of the gate conductor. As a result of the enhanced gate electric field, the trench corner has a lower threshold voltage (V_(t)) than the planar portion of the device.

[0006] Presently known formation techniques for such trenches generally involve a wet etch, which can exacerbate the parasitic leakage problem by sharpening the trench corners and thinning the gate dielectric near the trench corner. Furthermore, present trench formation techniques generally expose the trench comers before gate electrode deposition. The exposure of trench comers will increase the sub-V_(t) leakage and degrade gate oxide integrity. The aforementioned problems will be hereinafter referred to collectively as “corner effects.”

[0007] Corner effects can even dominate on-currents in applications such as DRAM chips that require narrow channel widths to achieve high density. This parallel current-carrying corner effect becomes the dominant MOSFET contributor to standby current in low standby power logic applications and to leakage in DRAM cells. Furthermore, there exists concern that the enhanced electric fields due to field crowding at the trench corner may impact dielectric integrity.

[0008] Numerous techniques have been proposed to overcome the above discussed corner effects. Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,794 issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Fazan et al., hereby incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,422 issued May 28, 1996 to Mandelman et al., each teach forming shallow trench isolation structures wherein insulating material spacers are formed abutting the trench corners and the isolating material filling, and extending above the trench. When a wet pad oxide etch is performed, the isolating material combines with the spacers to form an isolation trench having a dome or cap-like covering the peripheral edges of trench which substantially overcomes the corner effects and consequential leakage between active areas on the substrate. Although the techniques taught in these patents are effective in minimizing corner effects, the techniques require additional fabrication steps which increase the overall cost of the semiconductor component.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,488 issued Jul. 25, 1995 to Poon et al. teaches improving trench isolation by increasing the thickness of the gate dielectric overlying the trench corner between the substrate and gate electrode. However, the process taught in this patent also requires numerous additional fabrication steps and structures, which of course increases the overall cost of the semiconductor component.

[0010] Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a shallow isolation trench and a technique for forming the trench which substantially eliminates the aforementioned corner effects, while using inexpensive, commercially-available, widely-practiced semiconductor device fabrication techniques and apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention relates to a shallow isolation trench structure which is formed using a buffer film layer. The buffer film layer is etched in such a manner that an isolation material within the shallow trench has a cap which covers the shallow trench corners to prevent corner effects.

[0012] The method of the present invention comprises providing a semiconductor substrate, preferably a silicon substrate, with a dielectric layer, preferably silicon dioxide, formed on at least one surface of the semiconductor substrate to a thickness of between 50 and 300 Å. The dielectric layer can be formed by any known technique, including thermally oxidizing the surface of the semiconductor substrate, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like. A buffer film layer, preferably silicon nitride, is then formed over the dielectric layer by any known deposition technique, preferably chemical vapor deposition. Although silicon nitride is preferred, the buffer layer may be any known material which is oxidation resistant and can be etched selectively to oxide films.

[0013] A photoresist mask is applied and patterned on the buffer film layer. The buffer film layer, the dielectric layer, and semiconductor substrate are then etched either simultaneously with a non-selective etch or in steps with selective etches to form a shallow trench with sidewalls and a bottom. The photoresist mask is then removed to form a trenched structure.

[0014] After stripping the photoresist and cleaning the trenched structure, a thin layer of oxide, between about 50 and 150 Å thick, is grown on the shallow trench sidewalls and bottom, preferably by thermal oxidization. The buffer film layer is then selectively etched horizontally and vertically to move the buffer film layer back from the shallow trench. The purpose for using a buffer film layer, which is oxidation resistant, as discussed above, is shown in FIG. 11. If an oxidizable material is used as a buffer film layer 202 over a dielectric layer 204 and a substrate 206, the formation of a thin oxide layer 208 in trench 210 would also cause the formation of an additional thin layer of oxide 212 to form on the buffer film layer 202. Most oxidizable materials, such as silicon dioxide, used for forming the buffer film layer 202 have a greater affinity for growing oxides than the semiconductor substrate. As a results, the additional thin oxide layer 212 is relatively thicker than the thin oxide layer 208, which results in a narrowing of the opening at the mouth of the trench 210. This narrowing makes it difficult to fill the trench 210 with an isolation material 214, and may even cause the formation of voids 216 in the isolation material 214 during the application of the isolation material 214.

[0015] In the method of the present invention, after etching back the buffer film layer, the shallow trench is then filled with an isolation material. The resulting structure is preferably annealed to densify the deposited isolation material. Densification of the deposited isolation material is required to enhance the resistance of the isolation material to etching during subsequent processing. A portion of the isolation material over the buffer film layer is then removed to the level of the buffer film layer. The removal of isolation material is preferably achieved with a process such as chemical mechanical planarization which abrades away the isolation material down to the buffer film layer. The buffer film layer is then selectively etch away to form an isolation structure. When this isolation structure is etched during a subsequent wet oxide etch process, the isolation structure will form the capped shallow trench isolation structure which covers the trench corners. This capped shallow trench isolation structure substantially minimizes corner effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the present invention, the advantages of this invention can be more readily ascertained from the following description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0017] FIGS. 1-10 are cross-sectional views of the method of forming a shallow trench isolation structure of the present invention; and

[0018]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a shallow trench isolation structure formed with a conventional oxidizable buffer film layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019]FIGS. 1 through 10 illustrate, in cross-section, a method for forming a shallow trench isolation structure in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the method comprises forming a layered structure 100 of a semiconductor substrate 102, a dielectric layer 104, and a buffer film layer 106. The semiconductor substrate 102 preferably includes silicon and the dielectric layer 104 preferably includes silicon dioxide. The dielectric layer 104 is preferably between 50 and 300 Å thick (a convenient range for process integration) and can be formed by any known technique including thermally oxidizing the surface of the semiconductor substrate 102, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like. The buffer film layer 106, preferably comprising silicon nitride, is formed over the dielectric layer 104 by any known deposition technique, preferably chemical vapor deposition.

[0020] A photoresist mask 108, either positive or negative resist (preferably positive) as known in the art, is applied over the buffer film layer 106 and patterned using standard photolithographic patterning techniques, as shown in FIG. 2. The buffer film layer 106 and the dielectric layer 104 are then etched by standard etching techniques to form patterned recess 110, as shown in FIG. 3. The silicon substrate 102 is then dry etched to form a shallow trench 112 with sidewalls 114 and a bottom 116, seen in FIG. 4. It is, of course, understood that the buffer film layer 106, the dielectric layer 104, and semiconductor substrate 102 can be etched in one non-selective etching step. The photoresist mask 108 is removed using standard photoresist stripping techniques, preferably by plasma etch, to form a trenched structure 118, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0021] After stripping the photoresist and cleaning (preferably with a H₂O₂/H₂SO₄ or H₂O₂/HCl mixtures) the trenched structure 118, a thin layer of oxide 120, between about 50 and 150 Å thick, is grown on the shallow trench sidewalls 114 and the shallow trench bottom 116, preferably by thermal oxidization, as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the buffer film layer 106 is then selectively etched horizontally and vertically to move the buffer film layer 106 back from the shallow trench 112. The etching of the buffer film layer 106 is preferably a wet etch process including an application of a 100:1 HF (hydrofluoric acid) solution followed by an application of a H₃PO₄ (phosphoric acid) solution or a H20/N(CH₂CH₃)₄OH (“TMAH”) solution.

[0022] The shallow trench 112 is then filled with an isolation material 122, as shown in FIG. 7. The isolation material 122 is preferably silicon dioxide deposited by any known technique including chemical vapor deposition using tetraethylorthosilane (TEOS) or ozone as source gases, electron cyclotron resonance deposition, spin-on deposition, and the like. Optionally, the isolation material 122 can be annealed to densify the deposited isolation material 122. Densification of the deposited isolation material 122 used to enhance the resistance of the isolation material 122 to etching during subsequent processing. The annealing is preferably conducted in a nitrogen or other inert gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation of the semiconductor substrate 102 beneath the isolation material 122.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 8, the isolation material 122 is removed down to the buffer film layer 106, preferably by a mechanical abrasion process, such as chemical/mechanical planarization. The buffer film layer 106 is then selectively etched away, by any known technique such as a hot H₃PO₄ (phosphoric acid), to form an isolation structure 124, as shown in FIG. 9. When this isolation structure 124 is etched during a subsequent wet oxide process to expose the upper surface 132 of said semiconductor substrate 102, the isolation structure 124 will form a capped shallow trench isolation structure 126 which covers the trench corners 128 of the shallow trench 112 with ledges 130, as shown in FIG. 10. The ledges 130 preferably extend horizontally between about 50 and 150 Å from the trench corners 128. These ledges 130 prevent the aforementioned corner effects.

[0024] Having thus described in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations are possible without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of forming an isolation structure for a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a layered structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer; etching said layered structure through said buffer film layer, through said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate to define a trench having sidewalls and a bottom; forming an oxide layer on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench; selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; and removing said buffer film layer.
 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming said oxide layer includes thermal oxidation of said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench.
 3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 4. The method of claim 3 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 5. The method of claim 1 , further including annealing said isolation material layer.
 6. An isolation structure for a semiconductor device formed by the method comprising: providing a layered structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer; etching said layered structure through said buffer film layer, through said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate to define a trench having sidewalls and a bottom; forming an oxide layer on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench; selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; and removing said buffer film layer.
 7. The isolation structure of claim 6 , wherein forming said oxide layer includes thermal oxidation of said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench.
 8. The isolation structure of claim 6 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 9. The isolation structure of claim 8 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 10. The isolation structure of claim 6 , formed by a method further comprising annealing said isolation material layer.
 11. A method of forming a capped shallow trench isolation structure for a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a layered structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer; etching said layered structure through said buffer film layer, through said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate to define a trench having sidewalls and a bottom; forming an oxide layer on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench sidewalls and said trench bottom; selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer to expose opposing trench edges at an intersection of said trench sidewalls and an tipper surface of said semiconductor substrate; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; removing said buffer film layer; and etching said isolation material to form said capped shallow trench isolation structure.
 12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming said oxide layer includes thermal oxidation of said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench.
 13. The method of claim 11 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 14. The method of claim 13 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 15. The method of claim 11 , further including annealing said isolation material layer.
 16. The method of claim 11 , wherein said capped shallow trench isolation structure includes ledges which extend a predetermined distance over said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate adjacent said opposing trench edges.
 17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said ledges extend over said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate between about 50 and 150 Å.
 18. A capped shallow trench isolation structure formed by the method comprising: providing a layered structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer; etching said layered structure through said buffer film layer, through said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate to define a trench having sidewalls and a bottom; forming an oxide layer on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench sidewalls and said trench bottom; selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer to expose opposing trench edges at an intersection of said trench sidewalls and an upper surface of said semiconductor substrate; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; removing said buffer film layer; and etching said isolation material to form said capped shallow trench isolation structure.
 19. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 18 , wherein forming said oxide layer includes thermal oxidation of said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench.
 20. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 18 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 21. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 20 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 22. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 18 , formed by a method comprising annealing said isolation material layer.
 23. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 18 , wherein said capped shallow trench isolation structure includes ledges which extend a predetermined distance over said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate adjacent said opposing trench edges.
 24. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 23 , wherein said ledges extend over said semiconductor substrate between about 50 and 150 Å.
 25. A method of forming an isolation structure on semiconductor device layered structure including a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer, said layered structure including a trench through said buffer film layer, said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide layer is formed on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench, comprising: selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; and removing said buffer film layer.
 26. The method of claim 25 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 27. The method of claim 26 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 28. The method of claim 25 , further including annealing said isolation material layer.
 29. An isolation structure for a semiconductor device layered structure including a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer, said layered structure including a trench through said buffer film layer, said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide, layer is formed on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench, formed by the method comprising: selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; and removing said buffer film layer.
 30. The isolation structure of claim 29 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 31. The isolation structure of claim 30 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 32. The isolation structure of claim 29 , formed by a method further comprising annealing said isolation material layer.
 33. A method of forming a capped shallow trench isolation structure for a semiconductor device layered structure including a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer, said layered structure including a trench through said buffer film layer, said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide layer is formed on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench, comprising: selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer to expose opposing trench edges at an intersection of said trench and an upper surface of said semiconductor substrate; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; removing said buffer film layer; and etching said isolation material to form said capped shallow trench isolation structure.
 34. The method of claim 33 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 35. The method of claim 34 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 36. The method of claim 33 , further including annealing said isolation material layer.
 37. The method of claim 33 , wherein said capped shallow trench isolation structure includes ledges which extend a predetermined distance over said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate adjacent said opposing trench edges.
 38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said ledges extend over said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate between about 50 and 150 Å.
 39. A capped shallow trench isolation structure for a semiconductor device layered structure including a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer, said layered structure including a trench through said buffer film layer, said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide layer is formed on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench, formed by the method comprising: selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer to expose opposing trench edges at an intersection of said trench and an upper surface of said semiconductor substrate; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; removing said buffer film layer; and etching said isolation material to form said capped shallow trench isolation structure.
 40. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 39 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 41. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 40 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 42. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 39 , formed by a method comprising annealing said isolation material layer.
 43. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 39 , wherein said capped shallow trench isolation structure includes ledges which extend a predetermined distance over said upper surface of said semiconductor substrate adjacent said opposing trench edges.
 44. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 43 , wherein said ledges extend over said semiconductor substrate between about 50 and 150 Å.
 45. A shallow trench isolation structure, having integral ledges which extend a predetermined distance from a trench formed in a semiconductor device layered structure including a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buffer film layer, said trench extending through said buffer film layer, said dielectric layer, and into said semiconductor substrate, formed by the method comprising: forming an oxide layer on exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench; selectively etching a portion of said buffer film layer to expose opposing trench edges at an intersection of said trench and an upper surface of said semiconductor substrate; applying a layer of isolation material over said buffer film layer to fill said trench; removing a portion of said isolation material layer above said buffer film layer; removing said buffer film layer; and etching said isolation material to form said capped shallow trench isolation structure.
 46. The shallow trench isolation structure of claim 45 , wherein forming said oxide layer includes thermal oxidation of said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate within said trench.
 47. The shallow trench isolation structure of claim 45 , wherein selectively etching said portion of said buffer film layer includes horizontal and vertical etching of said buffer film layer.
 48. The shallow trench isolation structure of claim 47 , wherein selectively etching said buffer film layer portion results in a portion of said buffer film layer remaining on said semiconductor substrate and extending a predetermined distance from said trench.
 49. The shallow trench isolation structure of claim 45 , formed by a method comprising annealing said isolation material layer.
 50. The shallow trench isolation structure of claim 45 , wherein said ledges extend over said semiconductor substrate between about 50 and 150 Å.
 51. A capped shallow trench isolation structure comprising a homogenous isolation material disposed within a trench in a semiconductor substrate, wherein said homogenous isolation material includes ledges which extend a predetermined distance over an upper surface of said semiconductor substrate from said trench.
 52. The capped shallow trench isolation structure of claim 51 , wherein said ledges extend over said semiconductor substrate between about 50 and 150 Å from said trench. 